


The Mask Of The Bad Guy

by OrphisTheDragon



Series: Time LU Oneshots (REWRITTEN) [6]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Time (Linked Universe) Angst, Time (Linked Universe) Needs a Hug, just never mentioned oops, the others are there too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:42:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24375961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrphisTheDragon/pseuds/OrphisTheDragon
Summary: The Mask of the Fierce Deity had never been a simple mask.Link knew this and Malon did too.Sadly, the other Links had never wanted Link but Time.For their happiness, Link vanished and Time stood in his place.(or: Fierce Deity is Link and Time is the mask to protect them)
Relationships: Four & Hyrule & Legend & Sky & Time & Twilight & Warriors & Wild & Wind (Linked Universe), Malon (Legend of Zelda)/Time (Linked Universe)
Series: Time LU Oneshots (REWRITTEN) [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1511195
Comments: 2
Kudos: 101





	The Mask Of The Bad Guy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [OcarinaOfLime](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OcarinaOfLime/gifts).



> Welcome to my newest, rewritten/edited one shot. I've written this with the headcanon that my wonderful friend Lime told me on the LU discord, so I hope that you enjoy it too.
> 
> "perhaps that could go along with my idea that the FD mask is a manifestation of Time’s anger and feelings, so when he says he’d be more afraid of what destroyed the demon in that comic of jojo’s he’s not only referring to FD but himself and his own feelings, because he’s the bad guy"  
> "ooh what if the FD mask represents his true face that the moon child spoke of, hence why it’s the last child before majora who gives you the mask - which is why FD is an older version of Time  
> it’s truly what he was, an older person on the inside who was angry enough at the world that he could defeat anything that came at him"  
> both quotes are from Lime.

The mask of the Fierce Deity had never represented a god.  
It represented Link.  
Link with his true feelings. His rage, his sadness, his madness.  
Just a tool to use whenever someone pleased to do.  
A tool to win fights that were too hard for others.

Link didn't realize that the Fierce Deity was him at first but as more markings started to show up when he'd opened up to Malon it was all clear.  
When he saw himself with one eye white in the mirror one morning. He was scared.  
Scared of the blank look that reminded him so much of a puppet.  
He didn't want to open the eye anymore.

* * *

He didn't open his scarred eye when he joined the other Links.  
The good guys.  
He didn't to show them that he wasn't as good as the others. They didn't had to know. For them he wasn't Link, he was Time.  
For them he was their mentor figure so how fatal would it be if they found out that he was the bad guy?

Majora said it himself, that the bad guys ran and that's all what Link did.  
Running.  
Running from Kokiri Forest into an adventure because his dying father figure said so.  
Running after Navi after she left him and searching and searching and never finding her.  
Running out of time again and again and again.  
That's all he did.  
Running and never looking back.

The others noticed after a while that he could open his eye.  
They asked him if he could show them but he just violently shook his head. "You don't want to see it. Believe me. You don't want to know."

But after a few days they still saw it and they were terrified of him. They were disgusted with what they saw so Link tries to act like they want him to. He tried to be the person they wanted.  
Nobody asked him if he was alright when the markings vanished on his face one after another.  
Nobody was worried when he laughed bitterly as he noticed that his white eye had the familiar blue color back.

They didn't want Link they rather wanted Time.  
So he was Time if it made them happier.

* * *

The others were obviously more comfortable now. They laughed with him, shared jokes and trusted him with some of their fears and secrets. Time smiled, so he made the right choice. They were happier.  
But he wondered when he looked into the eyes of Link in the reflection of the water. White hair framing his face there.  
He wondered about the question the first child on the moon asked him.  
He wondered if the others were truly his friends.

He didn't dare to look at his reflection himself again.

He knew that it wasn't good for him what he was doing, but it made them happier than showing them his true self. It didn't matter that Time wasn't happy as long as they were happy. This is what the second moon child meant, wasn't it?

Time felt more insecure when Twilight and Warriors came to him. Asking him if he was alright and finally asking what happened to the markings on his face. He lied when he told them that he didn't know what happened to the markings and that he was fine. Nothing to be concerned about. Time could see the worry in their eyes. They weren't happy anymore, Time realized. His actions wasn't making them happy anymore. Time was getting more anxious when he thought about the words of the third moon child. Was he doing the right thing anymore?

* * *

"Link..." Malon whispered when she saw her husband and the boys visiting the farm again. She was visibly shocked. Her husband has changed a lot since she last saw him. All the markings were gone and both of his eyes were open and blue. His blue eyes were looking in hers. Tears gathered in her eyes and she quickly ran into his arms. She hugged him with strong arms. "What happened to you, Link?"

The other Links slowly realized that something is wrong with Time. That he wasn't showing them his true feelings anymore, that he tried to keep them happy and he wasn't happy anymore.  
They hadn't seen him smiling a real smile since he showed him his not anymore white eye. They realized that he wasn't looking at his reflections anymore or that he flinched when he saw it.

He'd smiled when they asked if he was okay.

He cried when Malon asked.

Time started to cry more and more. His sobs were getting louder and uncontrolled.  
What did happen to him? Too much, so so much. It was ridiculous. He was ridiculous.  
He couldn't make them happy and it didn't matter which version of him he was representing. His mask or his true self. It didn't matter anymore. was there a true self of him anymore? was there a face under this mask? was Link still there?

"It's okay, Link. You can be yourself. You don't have to hide yourself anymore", Time heard someone speak.  
He didn't know who but the person was mistaken. He couldn't be himself.  
  
He wasn't Link anymore.  
Link had been the boy, who had a fairy for a while and then not anymore.  
Link had been the boy, who didn't know which body, which age was right anymore.  
Link had been a pawn of Hylia, whose only reason to live is to save a kingdom. He would be dead if he wasn't the 'hero' of the story  
Link had been the boy, who had to repeat the same 3 days again and again to save a kingdom, he had nothing to do with if he hadn't search for his friend. A friend who left him. Like everyone else did.  
  
He hadn't been fully Link anymore since his fairy ~~, companion, friend, family~~ had left him.  
  
Link couldn't hold on on friends

Who was he then, was the next question.  
Who was he if not Link?  
Was he even a person anymore?  
He didn't know, couldn't know. Everything was wrong. He was wrong. How could he lie to the others, to his wife. The woman, who was the light of his life. The last hope of a normal one. It was wrong to lie to them about something so unimportant. He was the bad guy, wasn't he?

The bad guy, who lies to them to make them happy but they weren't happy anymore.  
He would hurt them and Time knew that. He slowly took a few steps back.

"Link?"

Time was the bad guy  
He quickly turned around, away from the others.

_and when you're the bad guy you just run!_

And so he did.

* * *

He was sitting on stones near a river when he packed out the mask.  
No not mask. Him. His true self.  
His true self, which is yet a mask to be used just in battle. Just another helpful item, nothing else.  
Time wanted to throw it away, like the others in his past did.  
Using him for their needs and throwing him away when they got what they wanted.  
What did he want?  
  
...  
  
He let out a small laugh, how ridiculous that he was the first to pose that question in a long long time. He would laugh louder if it wasn't so pitiful. And unimportant. It was unimportant what he wanted. Nobody cared anyway. The other Links were scared of his true self so why would he want to be himself?

* * *

It was Wind, who surprisingly found him first. Wind looked questionably at the mask in Time's hands. "What is that?" He asked. He was pointing at the mask, which resembled Time so much.  
Time looked not surprised at the young hero. He knew that the question would come.  
  
"It’s called 'Fierce Deity' and is full of anger and sadness. It's a mask of a mighty warrior who gave everything for his people and more but all they did was take and take and take. Taking everything what he did for granted. Never caring about his feelings. He knew what they did but he still gave and gave til nothing was left of him. He gave everything up in hope to have someone, anyone but no one ever came."

Wind watched him with big eyes. "It's full of dark magic." He hugs himself desperately. "It feels so dangerous." The Hero of the Wind sounded so scared.  
Time felt a pang in his chest.  
Wind didn't understand what he wanted to say. Didn't understand that this was his cry for help.

Time quickly put the mask away, not wanting to scare Wind more. He gave the small one a smile. "You don't need to worry. I won't let ~~me~~ it hurt you."

"So you feel better now?" Wind asked worriedly. It was a good question after what happened earlier.

One more lie wouldn't hurt anyone, Time thought.

"Yes"

He was alright.

* * *

Malon was crying when Time and Wind went back to the others.

Time stopped in his tracks when he noticed. He made his wife cry.

Oh Hylia

OH HYLIA

How could he do this to her? It was his fault. He was a terrible husband. So so awful. Why did she marry him? He didn't deserve her.  
Didn't deserve her attention, her love. He should never have come back here. He wasn't worth it.

"Link.. please talk to me, honey..."

He shook his head. He wasn't Link not anymore. He was a nobody, who didn't deserve anything.

"Please... You deserve it..."

No, he didn't. Nobody was comfortable with his true self anyway. And everyone who said that they loved him the way he was, was obviously lying.

"I love you, Link. With all your faults and scars."

He was sobbing ~~laughing~~ loudly. How could she love him? He was a monster deep inside. The bad guy in this story. Someone not worth saving.  
He craved that somebody saved him but maybe it was too late for him.

He felt someone searching a thing in his bag.

"I'm sorry, honey."

Time was confused.  
For a moment the moving stopped but then there was a mask put on his face.  
Time ~~Link~~ screamed.

Wind and the others were shocked with what they saw. Malon had put a mask on Time's face. The same mask Time had told him about just a few minutes ago.  
The mask of the sad and angry warrior.  
Then he realized what he saw before him. The mask of the Fierce Deity and Time had the same markings before they vanished on Time's face and Time's scarred eye had been white like the Fierce Deity's before too.  
Wind's eyes widened when he looked into angry, sad, desperate, white eyes.  
Time hadn't just told him about a warrior who was used. He tried to tell him about himself.  
"Oh my goddess..." He whispered shocked.

Before them didn't stood Time or a Fierce Deity.

Before them stood Link

Link was fully crying now. Ugly tears were streaming down his marked face. Loud sobs  
prevent him from breathing right. Everything hurt.

Malon tried more to comfort him more. "It will be alright. You will be alright, honey. I love you with my whole heart."

She hugged him with a strong grip. Her head pressed against his breastplate.  
Malon may be tall but Link was in this form taller.  
His whole world was spinning but he still could recognize the terrified and shocked gazes of the others. They feared Link.  
He wanted to pull that mask of quickly as possible. They were going to leave him like Tatl did. She saw his true self too and left with the first chance she got. He tried to get out of the hug but Malon wouldn't let go and he didn't want to hurt her. His breathing sped up again.

"You have to breath slower, Link."

No, he didn't. It would be the best for everyone if he stopped completely.  
Then he saw his protege coming slowly to them. His hands were up in the air. Showing that he meant no harm.  
"Please, you have to breath slower... Link", he said softly.

"Malon... I... I have to get this... this mask off." Link gasped out because that was the only thing he was capable doing in the moment.  
The air wasn't completely reaching his lungs but it was okay. It was what he deserved.  
Bad guys didn't deserve more.

"You aren't the bad guy, Link" Twilight's words were now stronger.

Link was laughing, which turned into coughing.

"Follow my breathing, sweetheart. Just concentrate on me, Link"

He tried for a few breaths but he couldn't do it. Link shook his head.  
"I... I can't..." The sobbing got louder again. He was such a disappointment.

"Shhh... It's alright. Just try again."  
This time it seemed to work better.  
"That's good. You're doing so well, honey. Just in and out."

After a few moments of silence Link finally asked: "Are you happy?"

Malon was startled by the question but she quickly answered: "I'm happy with you, Link. If this is what you meant. I will never grow tired of my fairy boy."  
A soft smile graced her beautiful lips.  
  
But then she asked him with worry in her eyes . "Are you happy though?"  
  
Link's white eyes widened at this reflected question.  
The others looked worried at the couple.  
Link knew he couldn't answer truthfully. It would hurt her if he did.  
  
"And don't lie to me, please..." She added softly.

Link didn't know what to do. He didn't find a solution.  
  
"I... I don't know..." He looked down ashamed. He stared at his hands, which were made to hold a sword. Made for war and death.  
  
"I think I forgot what happiness feels like again. I'm sorry"  
He heard the gasps of the others. Why weren't they already running from him?

"It's alright. I can remind you again."  
She was so good for him. What did he do to deserve such a wonderful wife?

"Please, let me take the mask off now, Malon." Link sounded more desperate. Malon shook her head softly. She still had a strong grip around him. "You and I both know that this isn't the real mask."

"No, you don't understand, Malon." Link looked deep into her eyes. "I don't want to wear a mask again."

Her beautiful eyes widened with realization. Oh  
She grabbed harder again and Link felt more secure in the hug.  
  
"Yes, of course. Honey, you don't have to hide yourself with me."  
  
Her smile felt like a ray of sunshine in his unforgiving darkness.

Link took off the mask of the Fierce Deity and his hair and everything changed back. Mostly everything.  
The markings were faintly there and it wasn't as much as before but it was a beginning.  
The beginning of healing.  
The beginning of Link...

* * *

Link smiled deep inside, wondering if they would see through this mask too.  
He was the bad guy and he knew that they will see the truth soon.  
This one lie wouldn't hurt anyone.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it and if you did, pls leave kudos and a comment (or leave a comment for constructive criticism I don't mind).  
> Love y'all <3


End file.
